My life was shattered early one morning not many years ago when I discovered my husband of 26 years was having an affair with a friend of mine. While it was the final straw in a series of emotional betrayals that had gone on for years, it was still devastating. I decided I was not going to live like this anymore. It was at that moment I decided to leap into the unknown and file for divorce. It was then I chose to take control of my life and regain my power.
My book is about my journey toward embracing my power and living life on my own terms. This journey had taken me many years, from my childhood in India, through a male-centered education system, to life as a non-English-speaking immigrant in the United States. Along the way, I successfully raised two wonderful boys while facing debilitating health issues. I also realized later in life that my true calling was not in being an electrical engineer, but rather in becoming an ayurvedic medicine practitioner and yoga instructor.
Most importantly, I learned extraordinary lessons surrounding the importance of appreciating the deep love I have for my wonderful family in India and my two extraordinary sons here in America; standing up for justice and against abusive authority; recognizing the power I have simply by exercising my rights; and understanding the necessity of rising above racial prejudice to be able to fully realize my true potential. And, yet none of these lessons I learned were pre-ordained, given where I was raised and the culture I was born into.
Growing up as a middle-class girl in India I was expected to conform to societal norms. Safety and predictability formed the foundation of my upbringing. My loving parents educated me with the goal of becoming an engineer but married me off at the age of twenty-three right after I graduated. The future was mapped out for me, and it was both familiar and stifling. My worth was based on getting married and raising a family, or so I was taught in many subtle ways. My parents envisioned a happy, secure life for me by choosing a groom from our community with a similar background and education. However, these dreams clashed with reality, shattering in ways I could never have imagined.
The disruption began with infidelity - an unexpected betrayal that started within just a couple of years of marriage that rocked me to my core. As I struggled to regain balance in a new country, far from friends or family, I faced health issues that pushed me to the brink. In the midst of chaos, I began my journey of self-discovery - a quest to define my identity beyond the confines of societal expectations.
This memoir is not just about my struggles but about the resilience that emerged from them. The deep unconditional love and core values instilled in me by my family became a dormant power, waiting to be awakened. I learned to reclaim my voice and carve out my own path. My journey also delves into the complexities of immigration and the contrast between the life scripted for me and the one I chose to embrace.
As I invite you to my world, I hope to share the lessons learned, the humbling realizations, and the triumphs that emerged from the depth of despair. This is a story of courage, identity, and the unyielding spirit that drives us to find our way.
